Sequence selective binding to the DNA major groove: tris(1,10-phenanthroline) metal complexes binding to poly(dG-dC) and poly(dA-dT).

Molecular modelling and energy minimisation calculations that incorporate solvent effects have been used to investigate the complexation of delta and lambda-[Ru(1,10-phenanthroline]2+ to DNA. The most stable binding geometry for both enantiomers is one in which a phenanthroline chelate is positioned in the major groove. The chelate is partially inserted between neighbouring base pairs, but is not intercalated. For delta, though not for lambda, a geometry with two chelates in the major groove is only slightly less favourable. Minor groove binding is shown to be no more favourable than external electrostatic binding. The optimised geometries of the DNA/[Ru(1,10-phenanthroline]2+ complexes enable published linear dichroism spectra to be used to determine the percentage of each enantiomer in the two most favourable major groove sites. For delta 57 +/- 15% and for lambda 82 +/- 7% of bound molecules are in the partially inserted site.